A Plain Explanation of Revelation, Part 15
Apoc. Cap. 15. 1.
And I ſaw another ſigne in heauen, great and marueilus, ſeauen Angels hauing the ſeauen laſt plagues: for by them is fulfilled the wrath of God, &c.
THere hauing beene ſet before in the former Chapters, as well the fauour to Gods Children, as iudgements againſt the contemners of the Goſpell, hee proceedeth here in the declaration of the ſame.
And firſt of the iudgements againſt the Beaſt and his worſhippers in the firſt Verſe, the executioners whereof are in that Verſe ſaid to be ſeauen Angels, to wit, a perfect number to performe that worke; they are ſaid to hauehave the ſeauen laſt plagues; that is, authority and power was giuen them to execute that full number of iudgements which remained to be poured on the earth.
And hauing ſpoken of the Miniſters of Gods iudgements, he ſpeaketh alſo of the furniture and armory of the iudgements of God; which he hath as it were in ſtore againſt them.
And he calleth it a Sea mingled with fire; alluding to the Lauary of the Prieſts in the Temple, whereto he ſeemeth to compare this, which was called a Sea in regard of the greatneſſe of it.
And it is called a Sea of Chriſtall, or a glaſsie Sea, becauſe it might be throughly looked into, and euidently diſcerned of the Children of God through Chriſt. In the Sea is fire, which is the wrath and curſe of God, the matter of Gods fierce indignation, and the iudgements which ſhould be taken out of this Lauer of Gods wrath, for as in the Lauer, in the time of the Law, there was water to waſh the Prieſts, and to make them cleane; noting the cleaneneſſe and vprightneſſe that ſhould be in the Prieſts, and which all that ſhould be Prieſts vntounto God ſhould receiue from Chriſt; euen ſo in this Lauer and Sea of Gods wrath, fire is ſaid to be; noting, that from hence ſhould come matter of iudgement to conſume and deſtroy the enemies of God.
After, it is ſaid, that the Children of God which had gotten the victory ouer their enemies, did ſtand by this Sea; namely, to ſee and behold theſe fearefull iudgements of God againſt the wicked; and thereupon, to wit, on this occaſion are ſtirred vp to praiſe the Lord, and they ſing the Song of Moſes and of the Lambe; namely, a Song of thankeſgiuing for their deliuerance by the Lambe, ſaying, Great and marueilous are thy workes, &c. as if they ſhould ſay, who is it that would not magnifie ſo mightie a King, ſo holy and ſo iuſt a God, who for the glory of his name, and the reuenge of his Saints, hath ſuch a treaſury of iudgements againſt his enemies, which now in Chriſt he had made manifeſt vntounto them?
After, it is ſaid, that theſe ſeauen Angels come out of the Temple; that is, out of the preſence of God, declaring that they come by the authority and commandement of God, and therefore that their ambaſſage was certainely and neceſſarily to be accompliſhed. And they are cloathed with white; ſignifying their integrity and vprightneſſe, ſhewing that there was nothing which they executed vniuſtly or wrongfully, but that it was right and iuſt, howſoeuer it might appeare vntounto the ſonnes of men.
They were girded; that is, prompt, ſit, and ready to execute their meſſage, whereunto they were appointed, for (as the cuſtome was in thoſe dayes) thoſe that had their cloathes girded vp to them, were fitter for any worke or buſineſſe they went about.
To theſe Angels are giuen Vials; ſignifying, that as theſe inferiour Angels are innocent and holy ſpirits vprightly performing that which is inioyned them, and as they are ready thereunto, ſo they doe nothing without the ſpeciall calling or commandement of God, and without a particular Ordinance from God, for their charge and function is laid vponupon them either immediately from God himſelfe, or elſe by the Arch-Angels and thoſe which are the chiefe Angels.
Further, it is ſaid, that the Temple was filled with ſmoake, that none could enter in vntill the ſeauen Plagues of the ſeauen Angels were accompliſhed: The glory of God ſo filled that place, that the Angels themſelues could not enter into it; for by this ſmoake is meant the fulneſſe of Gods preſence, and the full and perfect glory and maieſtie of the ſame, as was in the Temple in the time of the Law, when that it was firſt finiſhed, the glory of the Lord ſo filled the Temple with a ſmoake, that none were able to abide therein; noting, that he was well pleaſed with the building of it: euen ſo here the Angels being ſent forth to execute, the preſence of God was ſo exceeding glorious, that the Angels could not be able to returne thither, till they had finiſhed and fulfilled the iudgements which they were ſent forth to doe: noting alſo that this execution of theſe iudgements of God, was acceptable vntounto him; as alſo that they were irreuocable, and altogether inauoideable.